Koshland Science Museum Host D.C. Scholastic Chess Championship

June 19, 2006 - Washington, DC - The Marian Koshland Science Museum hosted the first Koshland D.C. Scholastic Chess Championship on June 10-11, 2006. The tournament brought together students from schools in the District of Columbia for a strategic yet fun-filled battle of the minds.

Both groups organizing the chess tournament, OlympicChessDC.org and the Koshland Science Museum, aim to foster critical thinking and problem solving skills for young people in the District of Columbia. In recognition of the fact that chess challenges the minds and fosters critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in science, the Koshland Science Museum made its state-of-the art facility open to students for the two-day tournament.

Mark Loveland, Education Programs Coordinator for the Koshland stated: “The tournament was one of many opportunities that we have to engage the community. In hosting the chess club on Sunday mornings along with future tournaments, the Koshland wants to support and encourage chess as a way for children to have fun while learning the critical thinking and problem solving skills that are so important to both chess and science. Chess is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn these skills. It can act as an entry point for students to pursue interests in science and math.”
The tournament had separate divisions for boys and girls and competitions between students in elementary school, middle school, and high school. The winners received trophies and a cash prize from Olympic Chess DC.